This invention relates to a lever-type connector and a method for assembling and connecting a connector in which, for example, in the installation of a wire harness in an automobile, a housing having male terminals is connected to a housing having female terminals by a lever mounted on one of the two housings.
In the installation of a wire harness in an automobile, a lever-type connector is used for connecting a housing having male terminals to a housing having female terminals. In such a connector, a rotation hole is formed in an inner surface of each of two opposed arms of a U-shaped lever. Also, a guide groove of a generally volute shape is formed in the inner surface of each arm and is open to a distal end surface of the arm. A rotation pin is formed on each of opposite outer side surfaces of one of the two housings, the respective rotation holes in the lever are rotatably fitted on these rotation pins and a guide pin is formed on each of opposite outer side surfaces of the other housing.
In such a lever-type connector, the two housings are initially moved toward each other, and the guide pins on the other housing are received respectively in the guide grooves in the lever. Then, the other housing is moved toward the one housing through leverage produced by the engagement of the guide pins in the respective guide grooves upon rotation of the lever about the rotation pins. Finally, the two housings are connected to connect the male terminals to the female terminals. Thus, the connecting operation is carried out according to this procedure.
Conventionally, in such a lever-type connector, for attaching the lever to the housing, the lever is elastically deformed or expanded to move the two arms away from each other. In this condition the rotation pin is fitted in the rotation hole in one of the two arms, and thereafter, the lever is further deformed so as to be expanded. In this condition, the other rotation pin is fitted in the rotation hole in the other arm.
This method, however, has a drawback because the operator is required to produce a large force required for deforming or expanding the lever. In addition, because the rotation hole and the rotation pin are concealed inside the arm during the attaching operation, the operator cannot confirm the positions of the rotation hole with respect to the rotation pin using his or her eyes. This has resulted in a drawback that much time and labor are required for the attaching operation, thus adversely affecting the efficiency of the operation.